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alderfly

American

[awl-der-flahy] / ˈɔl dərˌflaɪ /

noun

plural

alderflies

any of several dark-colored neuropterous insects of the family Sialidae, the larvae of which are aquatic and predacious on other aquatic insects.

Etymology

Origin of alderfly

First recorded in 1820–30; alder + fly ¹

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

Surprisingly, many common orders of insects, including aquatic arthropods such as the alderfly, were featured rarely or not at all.

From Science Magazine • Apr. 4, 2024

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023